petzenburger



No. 6|4,575. Patented Nv. 22, |398. A. PETZENBRGER. CONDUIT AND ELECTRIClCURRENT CONDUCTOR FOR SURFACE RAILWAYS.

(Application led Mar. 30, 1898.)

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No. 6|4,575. Patented Nov. 22, |898. A. PETZENBRGER.

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( N 0 M o d e l I 2 S h e e t s S h e a f 2` UNITED STATES ATENT Fries.

CONDUIT AND ELECTRIC-CURRENT CONDUCTOR-FOR SURFACE RAILWAYS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 614,57 5, datedNovember 22, 1898.

' Application iiled March 30, 1896. Serial No. 585,482. (No model.)

To tu whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, ARTHUR PETZENBRGER, a subject of the King of Prussia,Emperor of Germany, and a resident of Gross Lichterfelde, in the Kingdomof Prussia and German Empire, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Conduits and Electric- Current Conductors for SurfaceRailways, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a new and improved conduitfor conducting the electrical current for electric railways.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification andin .whichlike letters indicate like parts in allthe views, Figure l is across-sectional view 0f the conduit constructed according to myinvention. Fig. 2 is a detail plan View showing the manner of attachingthe top to its supports. Fig. 3 is a detail transverse sectional view ofthe conduit, taken on line fcof Fig. 2. Fig. Li is a longitudinalsectional view of the same, taken on a reduced scale. Fig. 5 is a planview of the same. Fig. 6 is a detail side elevation of the contactdevice, showing the conduit in longitudinal section. Fig. 7 is a detailcross-section at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the tracks andcar, showing the contact mechanism. Fig. 8 is a detail transversesectional View showing the springsupported insulator in a cavity of thecovering-board.

The underground electrical conduits used heretofore for conducting thecurrent to cars are so constructed that they are only accessible undergreat difiiculties, or, if accessible, are very expensive.

The object of the present invention therefore is to provide a new andimproved conduit which is comparatively cheap, easily accessible, andadapted to be used for single or double track roads. In the street achannel A isv excavated about seventeen cubic meters deep, Figs. l and7, which is lined with a mix- `ture of Portland cement and sharp sand Bin layers about three cubic meters thick and to such an extent that thebottom of the channel is about ten cubic meters below the roadbed C,Fig. 7. For single-track railways the channel is located at onevside ofthe track and for double-track railways between the two The centralinner face of the cement tracks.

lining is shaped into a longitudinal angular recess, so that at themiddle a bearing is formed for the lower bearing edge of the top beam D,which in turn is so shaped that its outwardly inclined or liar-ed sidesare about two cubic meters from the walls of the liarin g channel,whereby two slots are formed (one on each side) for the passage of thecontacts carried 4by the cars. For the purpose of preventing thestreet-mud from passing into these slots the covering-plate D isprovided with a leather strip E for each slot, which strip also preventssparking and covers the top openings of the slots, as the coveringplateis about three and one-half cubic meters above the pavement. Thisarrangement will not interfere much with the trafc, as in streets inwhich steam or street railway tracks are laid there are offsets of fromlive to six cubic meters. At each side of the bearing'of the top beam agutter F is provided for catching water, and at suitable intervals,about fty meters apart, ducts are formed for carrying off the water,toward which ducts the gutters are inclined for lengths of twenty fivemeters toward both sides. For the purpose of keeping the mud away fromsaid gutters as much as possible the pavement is to have ten per cent.grade in fty cubic meters from the slot and oifsets of one cubic meterat distances of fifteen cubic meters from the slot-openings. (See Fig.7.) The top beam D lits snugly on its bearing-surface, so that it willhave a solid support throughout its entire length and can support theheaviest wagon-loads with the least strain. Furthermore, for the purposeof taking up the jolts of any vehicle running upon the same it is heldevery five meters and at crossings every three meters by supports G,Fig. 4, which are securely embedded in the cement lining and connectedwith the top beam by means of an gie-pieces II. 4

The top plate or beam D is provided on its upper surface with awrought-iron riflied or roughened plate J,which at distances of about1.50 meters is supported by light T-irons embedded in the top beam D.The plate vJ and top beam are connected by beveled flanges L, Fig. l,and heavy Wood-screws to form one solid body, so that the top beam D canresist pressure from the top as Well as from the IOO sides, but at anytime can easily be lifted off to permit of examining or repairing theconductors.

The conductors are attached to insulators M, Fig. 4, in t-he usualmanner at distances of from ten to fifteen meters. The insulators areeach supported by two spiral springs N, Fig. 1, which are attached bymeans of screws to the cement lining and serve for constantly pressingthe conductors and contacts together, independent of the jolts and jarsof the latter. The cover-beam B is recessed for a width of about tencubic meters at the points where the insulators M are located.Throughout their entire length the cover-beams have a groove O,semicircular in cross-section, along the conductor, so as to give thelatter room to swing.

The contact-guide is composed of a tube P, which carries at its lowerend the insulated contact-pin Q and which is connected by aconducting-wire with the electric motor. The tube P is shiftable in thedirection of its length and can be turned in the box R, Fig. 7, so thatthe niotorman can move the contact up or down or turn it in the box R bymeans of the handle S when he wishes to guide said pin in or out of theslot and bring it in or out of contact with the conductor. The tube Pextends to the longitudinal central axis of the car, and so as not to beaffected by the working or jolting of the car said tube is hung insprings at its supports R and T.

The conduit-way (seen in section, Fig. l) has in the middle of thebottom thereof a longitudinal ridge forming a bearing for the cover,whereby two gutters F are produced for leading away rain, &c.

Both bearing and gutters extend the entire length of the conduit-way,since the coveringboard closes almost the whole length thereof. Thestandard G, being designed to strengthen the covering-board againstshocks caused by carriages, 65o., is embedded in the concrete whereonthe conduit-way is formed and at the top is secured to thecovering-board by angle-irons H, (shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4,) thecovering-board, with the angle-pieces H, fitting closely around thestandard. To protect the pitch-pine covering-board against injury, thesame is covered by a wrought-iron plate with a roughened surface to givea footing to those who pass over it. This roughened plate is supportedby iron angle-pieces K, sunk into the covering-board at about 1.5 metersdistance one from the other. It is iminovably fastened to thecovering-board by means of dovetailed rabbet L and by strong screws,plate, and board, forming thus one piece, strengthened against thrust,&c., by G and K.

The object of fastening tube P to box R is to protect tube P fromvibration, so as to produce by it the contact of Wire and contact-pin.This box R is best placed in the plane passing through the longitudinalaxis of the carriage, because here the vibrations are the least, or itmay be xed to a support fastened to the frame of the carriage.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

The combination, in an electric conduit for railways, of a cover-beam Dhaving longitudinal slots O and cut-out portions to receive theelectricwires and insulator-supports respectively, the longitudinal bearing inthe conduit supporting the cover-beam away from the sides of the conduitto form slots,the resiliently-supported insulators supported in theconduit in the cut-out portions of the cover-beam, and theelectric-current wires mounted on said insulators and supported therebyin the slots O of the cover beam, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twowitnesses.

ARTHUR PETZENBRGER.

Vitnesses z PEREGRINE VARNALs, KARL HARTMANN.

